How Heathrow Airport Brought a Family Together with ‘The Gift’
Without covid looming over everyone, travelling internationally has reached a peak, particularly this Christmas, as people seek the adventures they’ve been waiting to embark on. In its Christmas campaign this year, London’s largest airport, Heathrow, partnered with agency St. Luke’s to show how to evoke the festive spirit through the bonds of family.
As parents set out on an adventure abroad, it’s mum who’s missing having her children on the trip with them. Walking around the duty free area and sitting down to eat, there’s no doubt that something is bothering her. As she tries to subdue the guilty feeling, dad reveals that he has an early Christmas present - one that she needs right then and there. Closing her eyes, mum opens them to see her two children, packed and ready to embark on a family holiday together. Celebrating family togetherness during this period, the campaign shows why it’s important to spend time with loved ones.
To share more, the teams at St. Luke’s and Heathrow Airport speak to LBB’s Nisna Mahtani about the demand following the pandemic, celebrating togetherness and showing how travel from the airport sets the tone for the rest of the journey.
LBB> What did Heathrow Airport want to convey this Christmas?
St. Luke’s & Heathrow> After a sudden peak in travel demand following the pandemic, Heathrow wanted to share the wonders and excitement of travelling away from the UK’s most connected airport.
More importantly, we wanted to put Heathrow at the centre stage of what Christmas is all about: the special feeling of being together. Unlike most airport advertising which focuses on reunions, we celebrated the joy of departures and how Heathrow’s superior service and travel experience sets the tone for a brilliant trip ahead.
LBB> Can you talk us through the ideation process and how you landed on telling this story of parents and families for the holiday season?
St. Luke’s & Heathrow> Thousands of stories begin every day from Heathrow, but one that everyone can identify with is the joy of reconnecting with our loved ones, whether that’s because you’ve been kept apart from them over the last few years, or simply want to cherish that moment of being together.
LBB> Who was the target for this campaign and how was this reflected in the storyline and casting process?
St. Luke’s & Heathrow> We wanted to put Heathrow Airport front of mind for anyone planning a festive trip away. Whether you’re a young family, an elderly couple or even a gap year student heading home to see family, special trips deserve a special start.
LBB> How long did it take to ideate, shoot and edit this campaign?
St. Luke’s> We won the competitive pitch for the account in August, which is when we finalised the creative development before moving into production. We shot the film over a two-day period on location in Heathrow Terminal 2, capturing all AV and stills shots. Our schedules allowed for shooting in the retail environments outside of peak times.
LBB> What aspects of the travelling experience were you keen to highlight and how did you incorporate them into the storytelling?
St. Luke’s & Heathrow> The experience was all about the airport and the many things you can do there. Your holiday doesn’t start when the plane doors open and you feel the heat of a foreign climate, it starts when you arrive at Heathrow. That’s when the holiday mode kicks in. We built the campaign around the Heathrow experience, from shopping to bars and restaurants.
LBB> What were some of the challenges of creating this campaign and can you tell us how you overcame them?
St. Luke’s & Heathrow> Timing was a key challenge. From the creative development agreed upon in August, we delivered a Christmas advertisement in early November; and for a campaign of this size that was no mean feat! Added to this was the challenge of shooting in one of the busiest airports in the world and the security requirements that come with that. We overcame both with a tenacious production department and incredibly responsive and collaborative clients.
LBB> Throughout the camping, both direct and hidden camera shots are used to tell the story. Can you tell us about some of the filmmaking techniques you used?
St. Luke’s & Heathrow> Logistically, shooting in an airport has its challenges, particularly as the passenger journey always takes priority. This meant our director Molly Burdett had to think outside the box to capture the essence of the airport in full running mode. She used an anamorphic lens which focused on the performances and also allowed us to blur out any passengers or brands featured in the background of scenes. The decision was also made for the ad to be shot on film, not only to give the edit a festive warmth but also to counteract the airport overhead lighting which could have given a cold feeling to the film. Just to complicate things, we had to get special permission for the film to bypass security!
LBB> What was the casting process and how did you find the actors who were the right fit for the spot?
St. Luke’s & Heathrow> The casting process was critical as not only did we need to cast four individuals that looked and felt like a real family, but we also wanted to break outside of the standard advertising casting pool and find unusual characters who could convincingly tell the narrative with warmth and subtle wit.
